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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24467170">mutual</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/beeetle/pseuds/beeetle'>beeetle</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Preludes [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roller Derby, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff, Light Angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:36:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,031</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24467170</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/beeetle/pseuds/beeetle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>mutual - Shawn Mendes, calico, roller derby au</p><p>"I need to know if this is mutual, before I go and get way too involved."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ilia Amitola/Blake Belladonna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Preludes [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767265</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>mutual</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>heya folks! for those who have read my writing before, this fic might sound familiar. that's because I've decided to take all of the fics from my story 'preludes' and post them individually and make them into a series for easier navigation.<br/>thank you so much for reading! please leave kudos and comment, it really helps motivate me to do more writing, and have a lovely day! &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ilia swore she was losing her mind. Either that or Blake was a master at giving mixed signals. Some nights before training they spent hours curled up on Blake's couch, legs intertwined and bodies pressed close, pretending to watch whatever detective movie Blake had put on. Other nights Ilia watched Blake grind on Yang in the heat of a club like her life depended on it. Understandably, Ilia was confused.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Any other person, well at least anyone in their right mind, wouldn't have waited this long to say something. Hell, most people wouldn't hold onto their feelings like this for more than a year, unless the person of their desires was married or 110% guaranteed not into them. Ilia swore she fell in love with Blake on her 18th birthday, and she had turned 23 a few weeks ago. 5 years of loving her. 5 years of keeping a secret. 5 years of watching Blake with Adam, who she had thankfully left almost a year ago.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Why not say something then, you might think. Ilia liked to think she was a decent person. Decent people didn't consult their best friends, who had just left their abusive partner of 4 years, and tell them hey by the way I've loved you since we were 18 and I know you literally just left your asshole of an ex so wanna date me? No; Ilia was better than that. She would wait until Blake was ready and then wait a little more.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But 5 years had worn her down. Blake had always been so close but so far away. Close enough to hold, too far away to kiss. Close enough to spend time with, too far away to take on a date. Close enough to say “I love you”, too far away to say “I love you”.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Enough was enough. After a particularly strenuous training session (thanks Coco), Ilia decided she needed to talk to Blake. But as they sat down at the table, removing their gear and laughing at some stupid joke Nora had made, Ilia paused. Was potentially ruining her closest friendship honestly worth it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake and Ilia had known each other for almost a decade, and she had kept this secret from her for 5 years, but a world without Blake wasn't something she ever wanted to face. It wasn't living if it wasn't with her. <em>You can't hold onto this any longer</em>, she told herself.<em> You've hid it for 5 years, any longer and you're going to go crazy.</em></span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ilia? Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A voice like wind chimes snapped her from her thoughts. Blake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ilia immediately straightened up and smiled lightly. Just play it cool; if you be a sad sack she’s gonna get all serious and use that concerned voice of hers and-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ilia?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Totally fine,” she tried, seeing the quirk of Blake's eyebrows and knowing she didn't believe her. It shouldn't have surprised her. Blake has spent almost a decade by her side, knowing her quirks and mannerisms and the fact she can’t lie to save her life. At least, she can't lie about her feelings to save her life. Ilia sighed, zipping up her skate bag.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Actually- um. C-Can we talk? Alone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blake frowned slightly before nodding, grabbing her bag and skates before rising from her chair. Ilia followed her out of the rink, waving as the rest of the team bid them goodbye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silently, they walked to the car they shared, popped the boot and stowed their gear inside. Ilia felt her heart in her throat and it took everything she had to keep her hands from shaking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So what is it?” Blake asked, closing the boot and turning to Ilia. Wait, what?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We're talking here?” Ilia quizzed, stunned and hoping she could buy herself a little more time; apparently 5 years of wondering wasn't enough all of a sudden.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can, or we can go somewhere,” Blake started. “But whatever is on your mind is eating you alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ilia sighed, looking at the ground because if she looked at Blake right now she had no idea if she would chicken and not tell her, or cave in to 5 years of wanting and kiss her. “You have no idea.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn't need to look at Blake to know she was frowning. “Ilia, what's going on? Are you okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. No- I don't even know.” Ilia sighed, hiding her face with her hands but she had already said too much, there was no going back now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then was is it? You can tell me anything, you-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you into me?” It was done. It was out in the open and when Ilia looked up, Blake's eyes were wide and curious. Here goes nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I uh- I'm kinda in love with you. And I'm pretty sure you don't feel that way about me but with some of the things you do sometimes I just got so confused, but then you spend so much time with Yang and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soft lips on her own cut Ilia off. Lips. Blake's lips. Blake was kissing her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Quickly, she returned the kiss, feeling Blake's hands on her cheeks she let her own sit on Blake's hips. It was slow and sweet, everything Ilia dreamed it would be and everything more she didn’t expect. Blake tasted of blackberry lip balm and spearmint gum, and their lips </span>
  <span>fit together so well and Gods, is it possible to be kissed so softly? It felt like forever and a split second all at once but eventually it ended, and Ilia knew it wasn't a dream as she watched those pools of gold staring into her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really are oblivious sometimes,” Blake chuckled softly and Ilia felt her freckles turn pink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, this means you like me right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wow Amitola. So smooth. You kiss the girl of your dreams and that's your first-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think love is the correct word here,” Blake breathed, leaning in and giving Ilia another quick peck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” Ilia whispered once they parted, her grin threatening to split her cheeks. Blake's smile wasn't as big but her eyes shone and Ilia knew Blake was happy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I love you.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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